Witch, Fireball and Steam Evil God

Chapter 363 Messiah

The next day.

Zhuang Xiao woke up again with a headache and fear. No matter how many times she woke up, she could not shake off these feelings. She stood there, watching helplessly as time was frozen and the elevator display remained forever stuck on the 32nd floor.

That building is called the "Consensus Obelisk," the seat of the democratic parliament and the very center of power in the city.

She remembered the name.

The office was empty. She was still in Merlin's office, lying on the sofa. As soon as she opened her eyes, she could see Merlin flipping through documents. It was a book that was clearly out of step with the times. It was a parchment book with yellowed paper, and it looked like a product of the Victorian era.

This book reminded Zhuang Xiao of the thousand years she spent in the "other world".

"Everyone else went to a meeting."

Merlin noticed the commotion coming from the other end of the sofa and said without looking up, "I heard that many unexpected changes happened in the 'dream,' and Chen Qi's men were quite frightened. After all, it's not common to witness a skyscraper of more than a hundred stories suddenly appear on the ground... I really wish I had been there at the time."

"'Consensus Obelisk,' that's the name of that building."

Zhuang Xiao said, "And there's the democratic parliament, a power institution I've never heard of before."

"Yes."

Merlin stopped the parchment on a certain page: "The tallest building in the city, at the very center of power, a skyscraper with pointers as its core design element."

"How did you know……"

Zhuang Xiao was stunned. She had never described what the "Consensus Monument" looked like to Merlin. She suddenly realized something, got up from the sofa, and quickly walked to the table.

This parchment book was very old; such printing technology had been discontinued a hundred or two hundred years ago. On that yellowed paper, there was suddenly an example diagram of the "Consensus Obelisk," next to which were densely packed texts. Zhuang Xiao recognized them; they were the common language of the New World—most of the guild's newly recruited members used this language.

This is actually quite amazing.

They come from different points in time and different dimensions, yet they communicate using the same language.

However, Zhuang Xiao was quite certain that the people in the shelter did not recognize these characters. As pioneers, they had spent about a week learning these characters using the "Adventurer's Handbook".

Where did you get this book?

Zhuang Xiao blurted out the question.

She was quite certain that if the higher-ups at the shelter knew of the existence of this parchment book, they would immediately demand that Merlin hand it over.

"A gift from a friend."

"Song Xian?"

This was the only person Zhuang Xiao could think of; one of them who had been to the Empire twice, but whose exit was not exactly dignified.

Merlin simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying. He closed the parchment book, allowing Zhuang Xiao to see the words on the title page: "The City of Truth."

"This is good news, Colonel Zhuang Xiao. All my guesses so far have been confirmed, which means we are getting closer and closer to the truth."

The cause of the world's destruction is that shadow still hovering above the earth's surface.

People have been living in shelters for far too long, and with the development of brain-computer interfaces and mind chips, their understanding of the world before its destruction has become increasingly vague. Until recently, Merlin had a new idea.

Is it that the new generation of shelter residents have forgotten history and lost the courage to return to the surface, or is someone hoping that people will forget everything that happened?
"This is a very interesting book, but it is missing an ending."

Merlin sighed regretfully. He wanted to find the answer in this book. He assumed that the City of Truth was where the previous generation had lived, and that the "Consensus Obelisk" and the Democratic Council had actually existed. So what exactly happened to the City of Truth after they sent a starship?
He could tell that the book was written from the perspective of a "native of another world," someone who accidentally made contact with the City of Truth through a "dream," or that all his experiences here were pre-arranged.

Consciousness linking and starships are not technologies they possess; like cryo-chambers and injections, they are "antique" technologies from before the destruction of the century.

This is a playful nickname created by Merlin. In the words of the Vault's higher-ups, when the world was destroyed, a large amount of human technological documents and production materials were also destroyed. This is not a bad excuse to fool people. The committee must completely block news of the destruction of the surface and the world so that the survivors in the Vault can continue to live.

But why be so certain that returning to the surface would inevitably lead to misfortune?

From a temporal perspective, more than a hundred years have passed since the day the world was destroyed. Since the day Merlin was born, the ruins on the surface have been quiet, without earthquakes, signs of any life, or any unknown enemies lurking under the rubble.

Merlin couldn't understand what kind of deep-seated hatred could have made humanity's enemies lie in wait for over a hundred years, just to wipe them out.

Today, he feels he has found the answer in this book.

What is particularly striking is not the author's various descriptions of the City of Truth, but his descriptions of the appearances of the highest rulers of the Democratic Council. Although their clothing habits have changed, some of their physical characteristics and habitual actions have persisted to this day.

If his suspicions were to unfortunately come true once again, it would be the worst possible outcome for the survivors.

The Council—the decision-making body of the sanctuary—is not trustworthy. The rulers who control everything are actually untrustworthy. They have concealed many things from the people from the beginning, including the secret that they have survived for more than a hundred years and witnessed the destruction of the City of Truth. Perhaps the sanctuary they are in now was built by the seven members of the Democratic Council.

Because they sensed that the City of Truth was about to be destroyed, and for some reason clearly knew that the being that destroyed the City of Truth had never truly left.

New problems then arose.

This long "pioneering" process, and their efforts to implant an idea into Ethan's mind, raises the question: was it for the sake of saving this devastating world, or to continue the unfinished task in the parchment book?

The Democratic Parliament never revealed to the authors any information that their world was in danger of destruction at any moment; instead, it tried its best to create an image of prosperity for them.

Perhaps before the end of the world, the starships on their long voyages sent back some messages.

That's about Ethan, "another world," and the Old Gods.

And then there's winter.

What role did she play in the whole affair?
“The committee did not intervene in the meeting that Chen Qi organized on the spot. I heard that there seemed to be some emergency over there that required their attention, which means that we are one step ahead of Chen Qi and his team.”

Merlin's mind raced. "We learned the secrets of the 'Dream' world before them, and it's clear that Ethan already knows about the City of Truth."

If it's for the sake of caution, they should stop the experiment immediately.

"He is simulating the trajectory of the City of Truth's existence. If this 'dream' continues, we might find out the truth about the city's destruction."

Merlin believed he had seen through Ethan's intentions. Everything Ethan did the next day was to get the city back on track and turn it back into the once prosperous City of Truth.

But this may not be a good thing for the residents of the shelter, because the truth will contradict the ideas they have been trying to implant so far. It will prove that the "other world" really exists, and that the "game," the "project team," and the "boss's daughter" never existed.

Ethan has demonstrated new abilities beyond what they had intelligence.

Illuminating the entire city, raising a skyscraper from the ground, and advancing the city's technological level by a decade with a single thought—these are not the power of an elemental sculptor. And this, perhaps, is why the committee values ​​Ethan so highly and has orchestrated everything.

Merlin's heart was pounding harder and harder.

An idea was about to emerge.

Unlike those abstract, indescribable ancient gods existing in legends and stories, they are dealing with a real "god".

With their current technology and theories, they are simply unable to explain the source of Ethan's power, let alone contend with him. If the committee's official plan has only been half-realized, and they have indeed brought Ethan into this world through some means, but with intense malice, then perhaps the shelter will be reduced to ashes in less than a day.

The only good news for the shelter residents is that this "god's" mind has been corrupted; at least for now, he still considers himself a member of the human race.

"This will turn everything upside down."

Zhuang Xiao noticed the fleeting madness in Merlin's eyes and gave him a warning.

They should stop this experiment immediately.

However, this thought did not linger in Zhuang Xiao's mind for long. She quickly realized that in the current situation, there was probably no such thing as a safe outcome.

"Colonel Zhuang Xiao, this is an opportunity. We have something that will interest him... or more accurately, we both have pieces of the puzzle that will interest each other."

The "dream" represents the past, while the refuge represents the present.

Only by piecing the two puzzle pieces together can the truth behind the destruction of the City of Truth be revealed.

"Yes, this could indeed turn everything upside down, but it could also make us true friends."

No longer needing to carefully implant ideas, the false bubble will eventually burst, especially since they are facing an existence that cannot be explained by common sense.

"As for the secret of winter, perhaps only she herself can provide the answer."

What if you lose the bet?

Zhuang Xiao asked.

She wavered, but hoped to hear Merlin's backup plan, to get a way out even if the plan failed.

"Colonel Zhuang Xiao, you are a smart man. A smart man doesn't need to rely on lies to convince himself."

"So you're planning to use everyone in the shelter as gambling chips?"

"Don't forget, I wasn't the one who started this gamble."

Merlin shrugged. "I don't have that kind of ability. This is just my struggle as one of the bargaining chips... But you should be more optimistic. Based on the information I have, he's not the kind of extremely unstable, psychopathic killer, is he?"

After a long silence, Zhuang Xiao closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate, saying, "I will try to contact Lin Dong. Their home address can be found in the personnel department's registration form."

Then, she changed the subject, "But we must agree on three rules: if you find that I haven't woken up after a certain 'dream' ends, then you must immediately stop this experiment, and you must stop him from coming here no matter what means you use."

"I promise you."

It's a pity there's no alcohol here.

Merlin sighed inwardly; otherwise, he and Zhuang Xiaozhen should have raised a glass of flavored liquor, clinked glasses, and drunk it all in one gulp, then said with a glimmer of hope, "For tomorrow."

..............................

Meanwhile, in Shelter A, in the conference room.

The meeting room door remained closed, and the seven councilors were still inside. All the lights were off, and the white sphere above their heads became the only source of light. They seemed dazed, and under the white light, they momentarily forgot the passage of time.

Before the white orb of light, all their secrets were laid bare.

This may be the final trial they will face in their long lives, followed by the fate that the losers should have received more than a hundred years ago.

“Number 52, simulation failed, destroyed... You should not exist.”

The cold, mechanical synthesized voice repeated the merciless judgment.

"No, we haven't failed yet! We haven't failed!"

The old man at the end of the table struggled to regain his senses, knowing the consequences of remaining silent.

They will be completely annihilated in a dazzling white light.

It will spread to every corner of the shelter, and eventually no one can escape its baptism.

"We've found him, and we're getting closer and closer."

The dazzling light dimmed slightly.

It scrutinized the old man, and no lie could hide from it. The old man gritted his teeth and persevered, knowing that he had seized the last opportunity. "He will come here soon. Go, go and tell the omnipotent Messiah that we have prepared a great gift for Him. We will finally succeed and summon Him here."

The old man's prayers received no positive response.

A moment later, their bodies, which had been floating in the bright light, returned to the swivel chairs. When they finally regained control of their bodies, they were soaked in sweat.

The ball of light left.

They were no longer afraid or hesitant; instead, they were filled with the ecstasy of surviving a catastrophe.

They saw their last chance and seized it firmly.

They knew their promise would reach God's kingdom and be delivered to the Messiah.

And after that...

That's beyond their ability to intervene.

Of course, at that time, the omnipotent Messiah will personally descend upon this place, and then...

Grant them new life.

(End of this chapter)